Tillotama Shome is one of the most capable actresses of modern times and is known for her versatility and authentic performances in projects like “Qissa,” “A Death in the Gunj,” “Sir,” “The Night Manager,” “Delhi Crime,” “Angrezi Medium,” “Lust Stories 2,” and many more.
Early Life
Tillotama Shome was born on June 25, 1979, in Kolkata, West Bengal, into the Air Force family of Anupam and Baisakhi Shome. She modeled for print ads and walked ramps early on. She attended Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi before doing her MA in English Literature from DU. While in college, she also worked with Arvind Gaur’s Asmita theatre group. Tillotama stammered as a child, which she overcame through theater. She also modeled for print ads and walked ramps early on.
Shome made her debut with Mira Nair’s critically acclaimed film “Monsoon Wedding” in 2001. The film explores a chaotic Punjabi wedding in Delhi. Tillotama played the role of Alice, the maid of superrich Verma’s, whoes daughter is about to wed an NRI. Intrestingliy in a beautiful subplot, the wedding planner Vijay Raz fall in love with Alice. Tillotama serves as a quiet observer, her subtle expressions revealing dreams beyond her station.
She also did the Bengali film “Shadows of Time” and the short film Butterfly before moving to New York. She received a recommendation from Mira Nair for NYU admission. Tillotama pursued a master’s programme in educational theatre at New York University in 2004. Tillotama spent two years at Rikers Island Jail in New York, teaching theater to inmates, shaping her acting approach. She returned in 2008.
Tillotama Shome On Screen
In 2009, she appeared in Claire McCarthy’s Australian production “The Waiting City.” Tillotama played a social worker in Italo Spinelli’s Gangor (2010). The film addresses a tribal woman’s exploitation in West Bengal.
Over the past few years, Tillotama has starred in films like Alankrita Shrivastava’s “Turning 30 (2011),” Dibakar Banerjee’s Shanghai (2012), Qaushiq Mukherjee’s “Tasher Desh (2012),” Suparn Verma’s “Aatma (2013),” William Riead’s “The Letters (2014),” Jeffrey D. Brown’s “Sold (2014),” and Mrityunjay Devvrat’s “Children of War (2014).”
She also done short films like Long After (2006), Boond (2009), Zamir and Preeti: A Love Story (2009), Clap Clap (2009), Sahasi Chori (2013, Nepali), and Nayantara’s Necklace (2014).
In 2013, she starred with Irrfan Khan in Anup Singh’s drama “Qissa,” with Irrfan Khan, Rasika Dugal and Tisca Chopra. In the film she portrayed a girl who was brought up by her father as a boy. The role won her the Best Actress title at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, sharing the accolade with Norwegian actress Julia Wildschutt.
Tillotama Shome – A Seasoned Actor
For Konkana Sen Sharma’s “A Death in the Gunj,” she was nominated for Filmfare Best Supporting Actress. One of her most memorable performances came in Rohena Gera’s “Sir (2018),” where she played Ratna, a widowed housemaid. The film follows Ratna’s bond with her employer, Ashwin (Vivek Gomber). Tillotama’s restrained performance highlights class dynamics and personal aspirations. The role won her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress.
In Goutam Ghose’s “Raahgir: The Wayfarers (2019),” with Adil Hussain, Neeraj Kabi, and Omkardas Manikpuri, she is a housewife with a paralytic husband and two children. The film tells the story of how three strangers meet in the most difficult situation and come together to help an elderly couple.
Some other notable films of her career include Budhia Singh: Born to Run (2016), Hindi Medium (2017), The Song of Scorpions (2017), Kadvi Hawa (2017), Manto (2018), Dheet Patangey (2020), Angrezi Medium (2020), Chintu Ka Birthday (2020), Deep6 (2021), Lust Stories 2 (2023), The Fable (2024), and Shadowbox (2025).
Other Work
She also appeared in web series like Love Shots (2016), Mentalhood (2020), Delhi Crime (2022), The Night Manager (2023), Tooth Pari: When Love Bites (2023), and Kota Factory: Season 3 (2024). More recently she was seen in Paatal Lok season 2 as SP Meghna Barua.
Personal Life
Tillotama married Kunal Ross, an entrepreneur and nephew of Jaya Bachchan, in 2015 in Goa. Kunal runs an online coffee bean business.
Tillotama Shome on IMDB
